Locomotive Class

Class 2F

Information: The free-lance design chosen by Tri-ang Railways for an inexpensive steam shunter appears to have been heavily influenced by a single example of an S-class locomotive built by Harry Wainwright for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR) in 1917.

Details: Indeed, if in fact the model was based on a one-off prototype the example it was taken from was quite unique in its own right. Between 1900 and 1908, Harry Wainwright set about building 109 0-6-0 Class C tender locomotives with two inside cylinders for freight and passenger services over the short routes between London and the important Kent coastal areas.For reasons lost to history, the decision to convert one of these locomotives, number 685 to a saddle tank was under-taken during 1917. In this form it served as heavy goods shunter used to ship locomotives and armoured equipment for the War effort in Europe. Taken into British Railways ownership, the locomotive survived earning its keep at the London suburb of Bricklayer’s Arms until 1951. After which time, as number 31685, she was with-drawn and subsequently disposed of.
Although the models factual basis is not certain, the “S” class saddle tank would have worked in proximity to the Tri-ang factories in both Richmond and Margate making it an appropriate free-lance subject during the mid-1950’s when the range was being developed and attention to detail was not so important to target market of enthusiastic boys only too eager to acquire a new toy locomotive. As both electric and clockwork mechanisms were features of the model the saddle tank was an ideal feature as it allowed plenty of space to house the standard clockwork mechanism.